"Real Name" in /etc/passwd contains +, _ etc

In the passwd file on the server I am using, some names have odd
characters in them, e.g. Fred+ Flinstone
I was curious as to whether anyone know if this was intentional, an
error on the sysadmin's part, etc.
Cheers!
Mitch.

Mitch <spudtheimpaler@hotORgooMAIL.invalid> writes:
> In the passwd file on the server I am using, some names have odd
> characters in them, e.g. Fred+ Flinstone
1) Some systems (like Sun's YP/nis database) use the + to indicate a
reference to a remote data label, but as I recall, it's used before an
'@' and followed by a label name.
2) Sendmail allows you to have tagged e-mail addresses so that
bill@example.com
bill+tag1@example.com
both go to bill@example.com, and the tag has nothing to do with /etc/passwd.
3)Some old BSD systems did something with a character in the GECOS field.
Anything after this character referred to the user's location.
None of these look like
fred:x:100:100:Fred+ Flintstone:/usr/fred:/bin/sh
Are you sure you have the example right?
--
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0

Bruce

11/14/2006 1:05:36 AM

Bruce Barnett wrote:
> Mitch <spudtheimpaler@hotORgooMAIL.invalid> writes:
>
>> In the passwd file on the server I am using, some names have odd
>> characters in them, e.g. Fred+ Flinstone
>
>
> 1) Some systems (like Sun's YP/nis database) use the + to indicate a
> reference to a remote data label, but as I recall, it's used before an
> '@' and followed by a label name.
>
> 2) Sendmail allows you to have tagged e-mail addresses so that
>
> bill@example.com
> bill+tag1@example.com
> both go to bill@example.com, and the tag has nothing to do with /etc/passwd.
>
>
> 3)Some old BSD systems did something with a character in the GECOS field.
> Anything after this character referred to the user's location.
>
> None of these look like
> fred:x:100:100:Fred+ Flintstone:/usr/fred:/bin/sh
>
>
> Are you sure you have the example right?
>
>
one line (I've transposed some normal characters fir their privacy) is:
syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:x:2148:100:Syndpz+v-t
Atchogg+tafokem:/home/syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:/bin/bash
(Thats a space, not newline)
The + and - are there normally. There are some %C3% and similar, but i
think they are special chars...

0

Mitch

11/14/2006 6:54:54 PM

2006-11-14 <2io6h.159955$lT5.124452@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk>,
Mitch wrote:
> Bruce Barnett wrote:
>> Mitch <spudtheimpaler@hotORgooMAIL.invalid> writes:
>>
>>> In the passwd file on the server I am using, some names have odd
>>> characters in them, e.g. Fred+ Flinstone
>>
>>
>> 1) Some systems (like Sun's YP/nis database) use the + to indicate a
>> reference to a remote data label, but as I recall, it's used before an
>> '@' and followed by a label name.
>>
>> 2) Sendmail allows you to have tagged e-mail addresses so that
>>
>> bill@example.com
>> bill+tag1@example.com
>> both go to bill@example.com, and the tag has nothing to do with /etc/passwd.
>>
>>
>> 3)Some old BSD systems did something with a character in the GECOS field.
>> Anything after this character referred to the user's location.
>>
>> None of these look like
>> fred:x:100:100:Fred+ Flintstone:/usr/fred:/bin/sh
>>
>>
>> Are you sure you have the example right?
>>
>>
>
> one line (I've transposed some normal characters fir their privacy) is:
>
> syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:x:2148:100:Syndpz+v-t
> Atchogg+tafokem:/home/syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:/bin/bash
>
> (Thats a space, not newline)
>
> The + and - are there normally. There are some %C3% and similar, but i
> think they are special chars...
It looks like they entered text intended for that field in a web form,
which was submitted with URL encoding but not translated.
It'd be easier to decide if the contents have any special meaning if we
could see one that hasn't been "transposed" - maybe get permission from
someone? does your own passwd line have this sort of thing?

0

Random832

11/14/2006 7:15:39 PM

Random832 wrote:
> 2006-11-14 <2io6h.159955$lT5.124452@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk>,
> Mitch wrote:
>> one line (I've transposed some normal characters fir their privacy) is:
>>
>> syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:x:2148:100:Syndpz+v-t
>> Atchogg+tafokem:/home/syndpzvt.atchoggtaf:/bin/bash
>>
>> (Thats a space, not newline)
>>
>> The + and - are there normally. There are some %C3% and similar, but i
>> think they are special chars...
>
> It looks like they entered text intended for that field in a web form,
> which was submitted with URL encoding but not translated.
That is definitely within the realm of possibility, based on the server
I am using.
>
> It'd be easier to decide if the contents have any special meaning if we
> could see one that hasn't been "transposed" - maybe get permission from
> someone? does your own passwd line have this sort of thing?
My own passwd line is fine. The passwd file is on a non-public server,
but one that many use and 99% of them I will never meet to ask to show
you. The question was based solely on curiosity and doesn't affect what
I am doing too much.
Your suggestion about the web form seems like a reasonable explanation,
and is a good enough guess to ease my curiosity. If I ever find out the
true answer, I'll be sure to let you know!
Thanks!
Mitch